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Napoli defender Paolo Cannavaro will make an emotional return to action at Parma

Napoli defender Paolo Cannavaro will make an emotional return to action at Parma in Serie A this weekend.

Last Updated: 25/01/13 10:35am

Paolo Cannavaro: Is raring to go

Cannavaro and fellow defender Gianluca Grava spent a month on the sidelines after being issued with six-month bans for failing to report attempted match-fixing, with Napoli being deducted two points.

But those punishments were overturned on appeal last week and both players were unused substitutes for Napoli's 1-1 draw at Fiorentina.

Cannavaro finally returns to action at the Stadio Ennio Tardini, where he turned out for seven years, and is raring to go.

He told La Repubblica: "I left a lot of friends there and I have great memories of my time in Gialloblu. But it won't be easy for us.

Juventus lead the current standings by five points but anything less than a win over Genoa on Saturday night could allow Napoli and Lazio to close the gap.

"I hope we can keep attacking the top end of the table," Cannavaro added. "I realised Fiorentina were scared of us and that means we have become stronger. We will stay in Juventus' wake, ready to take advantage of any misstep by the Bianconeri."

Juve - who will sign Fernando Llorente from Athletic Bilbao in July - welcome Genoa to Turin, as the Rossoblu start life under their third head coach of the season.

Davide Ballardini replaced Luigi Del Neri at the Stadio Luigi Ferraris as a result of the latter's record of nine defeats from 13 games, which leaves Genoa in the relegation places. Lazio, meanwhile, held Juve to a creditable 1-1 draw in the first leg of the Coppa Italia semi-final and aim to keep pace with the Italian champions with a positive result over Chievo.

AC Milan continued their resurgence with a 2-1 victory over Bologna that took them above Roma and into sixth place, with a potential win at Atalanta promising fifth place should Fiorentina falter at eighth-placed Catania.

La Viola boss Vincenzo Montella takes his new club to Sicily for the first time since leaving the Stadio Angelo Massimino in the summer. The two sides are separated by only three places and four points in the top half of the table.

Sunday's late game sees Inter Milan bidding to get back on track following Wesley Sneijder's departure for Galatasaray, and having picked up one win from five games.

The Nerazzurri have now fallen nine points shy of Juventus and the Old Lady's city rivals Torino provide Andrea Stramaccioni with another stern test, having won three games from their last four.

Elsewhere, Roma hope to avenge an early season defeat to Bologna in Sunday's early game, while Cagliari face struggling Palermo, who have recruited Mauro Formica from Blackburn. Siena are plotting to register back-to-back wins for the first time since September, at the expense of Udinese, with Sampdoria hosting Pescara at the Marassi.